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Get Involved With Climate Change Awareness and Action

Students at OSUCascades/Central Oregon Community College and 350Deschutes Rally to ask Leaders for Climate Action
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, NOON
WHERE: Central Oregon Community College, Coats Hall Campus Center
CONTACT: Diane Hodiak , 350Deschutes, 206-498-5887 dhodiak@comcast.net
Student leaders will join with 350Deschutes, a climate advocacy organization, to rally for the climate. Timing couldn’t be better, as leaders from countries around the world pledge carbon emission reductions at the United Nations COP21 Climate Summit to be held in Paris, starting November 30. The United Nations commits that the work undertaken with and by youth is crucial to raise the ambition of governments to come to agreement on a new climate change regime by 2015. Since 2004, more than 10,000 youth have been involved in climate advocacy as climate champions in their own communities.
Central Oregon is not exempt from the ravages of climate change: As wildfires rage, and farmers and ranchers suffer losses from extreme drought and reduced water flows, many realize that ignoring climate change will not make it go away. Many students and citizens hope that leaders will make a commitment that is strong enough to avoid the catastrophic damages that are forecast for the years ahead, if nothing is done to create climate stability.
Although these impacts are already occurring, future generations will suffer most if governments and institutions choose business as usual. Many students and other millennials understand this moral question: how those who make policy decisions today will influence their health, their prosperity, even their quality of life. How those of us who are alive today will be the last generation to be able to create climate stability. And if we wait too long before we transition to clean energy, that it will be too late to make a course correction.
This is a day when students take the reins to speak about their hopes for the future and rise to the challenge. Additional speakers will chart a course for the solutions. Participants will learn what they can do to be a part of a growing movement that wants the benefits of a clean energy economy: more jobs, clean air, and clean water. Music will add to the spirit, along with cheers. The public is invited.